Thera 10.6: Upasena,Vanganta's son
Tipitaka >> Sutta Pitaka >> Khuddaka Nikaya >> Theragatha >> Thera(238):Upasena, Vanganta's son Adapted from the Archaic Translation by Mrs. C.A.F. Rhys Davids. Note: 'C' in Pali text is pronounced as 'ch' as in 'China'. ---- Chapter X. Ten Verses =238. Upasena, Vanganta's son= Reborn in this Buddha-age at the village of Nālaka as the son of Rūpasārī, the brahminee, he was named Upasena.1 Having come of age and learnt the three Vedas, he renounced the world after hearing the Lord(Buddha) teach the Path(Dhamma). Initiated into monkhood for only one year, he thought, 'I will multiply the breed of the Ariyas,' and himself initiated another bhikkhu, and with him went to wait upon the Lord(Buddha). The latter, having heard of this, rebuked his hasty procedure. Then Upasena thought: 'If now, on account of having a following, I am blamed by the Lord(Buddha), on that same account will I earn his praise.'2 And studying for insight, he won in due course arahantship(enlightenment). Thereafter, himself adopting the austerer practices,3 he persuaded others to do likewise, and with such success that the Exalted One(Buddha) ranked him foremost among those who were generally popular.4 At another time he was asked by that other bhikkhu, when at Kosambī, what was to be done during the dissensions and the schism there?5 Upasena taught him thus: ---- 577 Vivittaɱ appanigghosaɱ vāḷamiganisevitaɱ,|| Seve senāsanaɱ bhakkhu paṭisallānakāraṇā.|| || 578 Saŋkārapuñjā āhatvā susānā rathiyāhi ca,|| Tato saŋghāṭikaɱ katvā lūkhaɱ dhāreyya cīvaraɱ.|| || 579 Nīcaɱ manaɱ karitvāna sapadānaɱ kulākulaɱ,|| Piṇḍikāya care bhikkhu guttadvāro susaɱvuto.|| || 580 Lūkhena'pi ca santusse nāññaɱ patthe rasaɱ bahuɱ,|| Rasesu anugiddhassa jhāne naramatī mano.|| || 581 Appiccho c'eva santuṭṭhehi pavivitto vase muni,|| asaɱsaṭṭho gahaṭṭhehi anāgārehi c'ūbhayaɱ|| || 582 Yathā jaḷo'va mūgo'va attānaɱ dassaye tathā,|| Nātivelaɱ pabhāseyya saŋghavajjhamhi paṇḍito.|| || 583 Na so upavade kañci upaghātaɱ vivajjaye,|| Saɱvuto pātimokkhasmiɱ mattaññū cassa bhojane.|| || 584 Paggahītanimittassa cittassuppādakovido,|| Samathaɱ anuyuñjeyya kālana ca vipassanaɱ.|| || 585 Viriyasātaccasampanno 61 yuttayogo sadā siyā,|| Na ca appatvā dukkhantaɱ vissāsaɱ eyya paṇḍito.|| || 586 Evaɱ viharamānassa suddhikāmassa bhikkhuno,|| Khīyanti āsavā sabbe kibbutiñcādhigacchatī' ti.|| || ---- 577 Lonely the spot and far away where noise Scarce comes, the place of creatures of the wild: it is there the Brother should his couch prepare For purposes of studious retreat. 578 From rubbish-pile, or from the charnel-field(cemetry), Or from the highways let him take and bring Worn cloths and from there a dress of patchwork make, And in such rough apparel clothe himself. 579 In lowliness of mind from house to house, In turn unbroken6 let the Monk move about 263 Seeking his alms, sense guarded, well controlled; 580 With any treatment, content rough though it be, Nor glad for other than he gets, or more, For if he once indulge in greed for tastes, Never can his mind in jhāna take delight. 581 In great content, with very sparse desires, Remote, secluded: so the sage should live, Detached from housefolk and the homeless, both. 582 Let him so show himself as he were dull And dumb, nor let the wise man speech prolong Unduly, when in midst of gathered folk. 583 Let him not any man upbraid; let him Refrain from hurting; let him be in rule And precept trained, and temperate in food. 584 Let him be one who concentrates upon The symbol, skilled in genesis of thought. To practise Calm let him devote himself, And Intuition also in due time. 585 With energy and persistence armed, Let him be ever to his studies yoked; Nor till he have attained the end of sorrow, Let the wise man go forth in confidence. 586 Thus if the Monk, glad for purity knowledge and of vision7 shall be with, The working of the Intoxicants(defilements/desires) shall cease, And he shall reach and find Nibbāna's peace.8 ---- Now the Thera, in so addressing that bhikkhu, showed his own attainment, and declared aññā''(supreme attainment).'' ---- 1 Brother therefore to Sāriputta (CCLIX.) and the three sisters Cālā, etc. Cf. Dhammapada Cy., ii. 84. 2 Told in Vin. Texts, i. 175 f.; Jāt. ii., No. 300. 3 The Dhutangas. See Milinda, vol. ii., book vi. 4 Ang., i. 24. Cf. Milinda, ii. 270; also 289, 326, 329. 5 See p. 16, n. 2; Vinaya Texts, ii. 312. 6 Sapadānaɱ. On this term see JPTS, 1909, p. 72; JRAS, 1912, p. 786 ff. Dhammapāla defines it as gharesu avakhaṇḍa-rahitaɱ, anugharaɱ. 7 So Cy. 8 Nibbuti, explained as Nibbāna i.e. extinguishing the rebirth & also death too. ----